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Award-winning former regional daily journalist dies aged 38

samrana-hussainA former regional daily journalist dubbed a ‘firecracker’ by friends has died suddenly aged 38.

Tributes have been paid to Samrana Hussain, who used to work at the Lancashire Telegraph, in Blackburn.

Samrana later went on to work ITV News, in Manchester, before embarking on a freelance career which saw her write for organisations including The Guardian and Al-Jazeera.

She is understood to have been celebrating New Year’s Eve at a friend’s house when she was taken ill with breathing difficulties, and later died.

Her sister Arooj said: “Samrana did so much. She was a firecracker who lit up all the skies she graced.”

Bradford-born Samrana worked for the Telegraph between October 2006 ad September 2008, during which time she was commended by publisher Newsquest for its Trainee Reporter of the Year award.

She also served as the newspaper’s Pendle district reporter.

Helen Greaney, one of her former Telegraph colleagues, said: “She was always up for a laugh, full of beans and looking for a new challenge whether it was a crazy recipe she wanted to concoct or a jaunt to Beijing.

“She kept me enthralled with her interest in travelling the world, through volunteering and work, making friends everywhere she went.”

Samrana also leaves her mother, Fazilat Din, and brother, Billal Hussain.

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  • January 12, 2017 at 1:31 pm
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    Terrible shame, no age at all, condolences to her family, friends and colleagues.

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  • January 12, 2017 at 8:04 pm
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    Awful news, so sad and so very young. R.I.P. Samrana.

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